realme C30s review

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The Realme C30s is an intriguing budget phone that packs a punch with its impressive specs. For just $13,700 Shillings, you get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, a rare combination at this price point. The device boasts a 6.5-inch HD display, dual cameras (one front-facing, one rear-facing), and a 5000mAh battery that's promised to last a day on normal use. With its sleek design and decent performance, the Realme C30s is worth considering for those seeking an affordable smartphone experience.

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Key takeaways
The Realme C30s' battery life is a major letdown, draining quickly with 4G or Wi-Fi usage.
The Realme C30s boasts a surprisingly good HD display with notable color accuracy and smoothness for its price point.
The Realme C30s' cameras are decent but limited, lacking high-quality image capabilities due to processing power constraints.
The Realme C30s' decent performance is a good value for money, but not spectacular overall.

Build Quality and Design

As I began to use the Realme C30s, one aspect that immediately caught my attention was its build quality and design. On paper, the phone's specs are impressive for a budget device, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, but it's the exterior that truly shines. The first thing I noticed was the phone's 6.5-inch HD display, which is surprisingly good for its price point. The teardrop notch at the top houses the front camera, while the bottom bezel looks thick, but the side bezels are remarkably thin. The design is clean and uncluttered, with a flat back that I particularly liked. The plastic finish on the back has a nice texture to it, with subtle ridges that add a touch of class to an otherwise budget phone. The power button, which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner, is conveniently placed on one side, while the SIM tray and micro USB port are located at the bottom. My only minor quibble was the single speaker grille at the top, which I felt could be easily blocked when holding the device. However, this is a minor issue in an otherwise excellent design. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the Realme C30s' build quality and design, which is certainly on par with many mid-range devices. In a market where budget phones are often plagued by poor aesthetics, it's refreshing to see a phone like the Realme C30s that looks this good without breaking the bank. If you're in the market for a new budget phone, I highly recommend giving this one a serious look – its design alone makes it a compelling choice.

Battery Life

One aspect of the Realme C30s that left me wanting more is its battery life. On normal use, I managed to get about a day's worth of juice from the 5000mAh cell. However, things took a turn for the worse when I connected to 4G or Wi-Fi, and the battery would quickly drain. This was especially true during initial setup, but I'm hoping it's just an issue that can be resolved with an update. Charging the device is also a bit of a letdown, thanks to its slow micro USB port speeds. It took around 2 hours to go from 0 to 100%, which is longer than I'd like to see in this day and age. Given the device's relatively small size and modest specs, I expected better battery life and charging times. Despite these drawbacks, I still think the Realme C30s has potential as a budget-friendly smartphone option. With some software tweaks and an update to its charging speeds, it could become a real contender in this space. As it stands now, however, the battery life is just one aspect of the device that falls short of my expectations. If you're in the market for a budget smartphone with good RAM and storage, the Realme C30s might still be worth considering. Just be aware of its battery life and charging times before making your decision.

Display

The Realme C30s boasts a 6.5-inch HD display that is surprisingly good for its price point. The color accuracy and smoothness are notable, making it perfect for media consumption. However, I've noticed some limitations in the display's performance. While indoors, the brightness is sufficient, but outdoors, it can get quite tacky, especially in direct sunlight. You may need to frequently adjust the brightness to maintain a comfortable viewing experience. This might be a bit of an issue if you're planning to watch content on the device. One aspect that I would have liked to see is dual speakers at the top and bottom for enhanced audio quality. Unfortunately, there's only one button speaker, which can be easily blocked when holding the device. This might limit its overall multimedia experience. The display itself is a highlight of the Realme C30s, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a budget-friendly option for casual media consumption. With its good color accuracy and smoothness, it's definitely worth considering. However, the brightness limitations outdoors may be a drawback for some users. Overall, I'm impressed with the display on the Realme C30s, but it's not without its quirks. It's still a great value proposition, especially when compared to other budget-friendly options in this segment.

Camera

The Realme C30s has a single 8-megapixel camera at the back and a single 5-megapixel camera at the front. While these cameras are decent for their price point, they have some limitations. In good lighting conditions, photos from both cameras are clear and sharp, but there is some color accuracy issues and sharpening issues. The rear camera struggles to capture vivid colors and sometimes takes a while to process images, even selfies. The same can be said for the front camera, which tends to soften facial features. However, in well-lit conditions, the results are passable and sufficient for casual use. One of the biggest drawbacks of the C30s' cameras is their inability to produce high-quality images due to limited processing power. Unlike higher-end devices that can tweak and refine images, the Realme's processor doesn't have enough grunt to deliver sharp, detailed photos. Another issue is the lack of features often found on more expensive phones, such as advanced modes like portrait mode or night mode. The cameras are simply not equipped with the necessary technology to produce exceptional results in these situations. In summary, while the Realme C30s' cameras are serviceable for everyday use and social media sharing, they fall short of expectations when it comes to delivering high-quality images. If you're looking for a budget phone that can take decent photos, the C30s might be worth considering. However, if you want more advanced camera capabilities, there may be better options in the same price range. It's worth noting that Realme has made an effort to improve the overall performance of their budget phones, and the C30s is no exception. With its 64GB storage and quad-core processor, this phone can handle basic tasks like social media browsing and YouTube viewing without any issues. However, when it comes to camera performance, there's still room for improvement.

Price and Value

The Realme C30s is a budget-friendly smartphone that boasts an impressive array of features at an unbeatable price point. Priced at 13,700 Shillings, this device offers four gigs of RAM, 64 gigs of internal storage, and a single camera setup at both the front and back. One of the most striking aspects of the Realme C30s is its value proposition. In today's market, it's rare to find a device with this amount of RAM and storage at such an affordable price point. Some companies charge much higher prices for similar specifications, making the Realme C30s a standout in its category. The phone's design, display, and battery life are all worthy mentions, but it's the price that truly sets it apart. The Realme C30s is a perfect example of how to make a budget smartphone without sacrificing too much on the overall experience. It's clear that Realme aimed to cater to a segment that has been ignored in recent years. The use of Android Go Edition, despite having 4 gigs of RAM, is an interesting choice. While it may not offer the same level of performance as other Android versions, it still allows for smooth usage and app installation from the Google Play Store. This decision likely aimed to keep costs down while still providing a decent user experience. In conclusion, the Realme C30s is a commendable effort in making a budget smartphone that punches above its weight. With its impressive specs and competitive pricing, this device is an excellent option for those looking for a reliable smartphone without breaking the bank. At 13,700 Shillings, it's hard to find any major complaints about value.

Performance

The Realme C30s may have caught my attention with its impressive specs at an affordable price point, but how does it perform in reality? As I delved deeper into the device's capabilities, I found some interesting results. Firstly, the phone is equipped with a quad-core Unisoc processor built on a 28nm process, which might seem outdated given today's standards. However, in my experience, this didn't hinder the overall performance too much. I was able to navigate through menus and switch between apps without any significant lag or stutter. That being said, the phone does show signs of slowing down when multitasking or running resource-intensive apps. This is not surprising given its budget-friendly price tag and the processor's age. Still, for casual use like social media browsing, YouTube streaming, and light gaming, the Realme C30s held its own quite well. Another point worth noting is that this device runs on Android Go Edition, which might raise some eyebrows given its 4GB RAM configuration. In my testing, I found that while it didn't quite match the full-fledged Android experience, it still allowed me to install and run all necessary apps from the Google Play Store. While not perfect, the Realme C30s' performance is decent enough for its price point. If you're in the market for a budget phone with some basic features, this device might just fit the bill. However, if you plan on using it for more demanding tasks or require top-notch performance, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. Overall, while not spectacular, the Realme C30s' performance is passable and does justice to its price tag.

Pros

1. Foreign the unity Hub has four gigs of RAM, which is quite impressive for a budget phone.

2. The device's price of 13,700 Shillings is very competitive considering its specs.

3. Getting a device with that amount of RAM and storage at this price point is 'sort of weird' because some companies sell the same sort of Raman storage at quite higher price points.

4. The phone has a 6.5 inch HD display, which is good for media consumption.

5. The display is color accurate and feels smooth and responsive.

6. The design is the best aspect of this device; it's budget-friendly but still looks good.

7. The flat back design is a nice touch, and I like the fact that they Embrace that single camera design with no need for an extra AI or two megapixel lens.

8. Performance wise, the 4 Gig Ram model offers a decent smartphone experience that will cover social media use and stuff like YouTube quite well.

Cons

1. The brightness of the display is quite affecting in outdoor conditions.

2. Sometimes you'll constantly have to push brightness to just below full for good viewing even indoors.

3. There's only one button speaker, which can be easily blocked when holding the device.

4. The battery takes about 2 hours to charge from 0 to 100 due to slow speeds.

5. Normal use will see you getting about a day of use, but the battery can quickly drain when connected to 4G or Wi-Fi.

6. Camera performance is mediocre due to lack of processing power and good lenses.

7. Photos may take a while to process even selfies, with some color accuracy issues and sharpening issues in good lighting conditions.

8. The unisoft budget processor used here is built on a 28 nanometer process from 2018, which is quite dated.

FAQ

Structure
Width:
75.7
Height:
164.2
Depth:
8.5
Weight:
186
Usable surface:
82 %
Materials:
Plastic
Colors:
Black
Blue
Hardware
Model:
Spreadtrum Unisoc SC9863A
CPU:
4x Cortex
A55 1.6 GHz + 4x Cortex
A55 1.2 GHz
Type:
Octa-Core
Nanometer:
28
Frequency:
1.600000023841858
64 Bits:
GPU:
PowerVR GE8322
RAM:
2
Type:
LPDDR4X RAM
Capacity:
32
Type:
eMMC 5.1 Storage
Fingerprint security:
Yes, on the side
Fingerprint sensor:
Proximity sensor:
Light sensor:
Accelerometer sensor:
Compass sensor:
Gyroscope sensor:
Antutu Score:
114300
Antutu Version:
Antutu v9
Antutu Standing:
Overall performance better than 50% of devices
Cooling system:
Gaming buttons:
Cameras
Phone rear cameras
Standard:
Resolution:
8
Type:
CMOS
Aperture:
ƒ/ 2.0
Phone front cameras
Resolution:
5
Aperture:
ƒ/ 2.2
Flash:
LED
Optical stabilisation:
No
Slow motion video:
No, 30 fps
Rear camera features:
Digital zoom
Autofocus
Touch focus
Phase detection autofocus (PDAF)
Geotagging
Panorama
HDR
Face detection
White balance settings
ISO settings
Exposure compensation
Scene mode
Self-timer
Screen
Diagonal:
6.5
Type:
LCD IPS
Aspect ratio:
20:9
Resolution in pixels:
720 x 1600 px
Resolution quality:
HD+
ppi:
270 ppi
Density:
Medium Density
Others:
Water Drop Notch
Touch sampling rate 120 Hz
Brightnes 400 cd/m² (typ)
Scratch resistant
2.5D curved glass screen
Capacitive
Multi-touch
Battery
Capacity:
5000
Type:
Li-Polymer
Fast charge:
Yes, 10.0W
Others:
Non-removable
Connectivity
2G:
3G:
4G LTE:
5G:
SIM card:
Dual SIM Dual Standby (Nano SIM + Nano SIM)
Standards:
802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n
Others:
Wi-Fi Hotspot
Wi-Fi MiMO
Version:
Bluetooth 4.2LE
Profiles:
A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile)
EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
HID (Human Interface Profile)
LE (Low Energy)
Navigation:
GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo
Charging:
Mass storage:
USB On-The-Go (OTG):
USB Type C:
NFC:
Audio jack:
Radio FM:
Computer sync:
OTA sync:
Tethering:
VoLTE:
Software
Operating System:
Android 12
Google services:
Widevine L3: